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Ethics Information and Forms

This page will guide you through several questions to determine the
relevant Youth Science Canada policies regarding ethics and
the use of humans and animals in your project.

After answering the questions, any required policies and forms will be divided into three sections:

Before You Start Your Project: Policies and Procedures. These are Youth Science Canada policies and procedures that must be followed while doing this project.

Before You Start Your Project: Forms. These are forms that must be completed BEFORE starting your project. Filling them out after you finish your project doesn't count because they are typically for getting ethics approval to ensure your project does no harm to any human or animal participants.

After You Complete Your Project, but Before the Fair: Forms. These are forms that should be completed after your project is done.

IMPORTANT: YOUR PROJECT COULD BE DISQUALIFIED if the required
forms aren't completed and brought to the fair or if the policies and
procedures outlined here are not followed. If this page says you need to do something
(e.g., give a letter of information to your participants before they
take your survey), and you haven't, you need to email our
ethics committee ethics@gvrsf.ca and explain the situation so we can
help.

Ethics Questions

Human Participation

Does your project involve "Human Participants"?

Human Participants are any people such as other students, family members, or even yourself.

Participation can include taking surveys, doing tests, using products, or even just being observed.

NoYes

Does the project involve a Survey of the Participants, a Test of Skill, or an Observation of Behaviour?

Surveys may be verbal, written, or done on computer or over the internet.

NoYes

Does this project involve any invasive procedures?

Invasive procedures including taking blood samples, tissues samples, or samples of any other bodily fluids.

Does this project involve smelling or tasting any substances or products?

NoYes

Does this project involve a product or substance that is applied to the skin or absorbed through the skin?

NoYes

Does this project involve ingesting a Natural Health Product regulated by Health Canada?

These products are identified by a Health Canada Natural Product Number (NPN), Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM), or Exemption Number (EN) and are listed in the Health Canada Natural Health Product Database.

NoYes

Does this project involve foods, drinks or products for which a health benefit is claimed?

NoYes

Does this project involve Caffeinated Drinks?

Caffeine is found in soft drinks, coffee, tea, iced coffee, energy drinks, and many other food and drink products.

NoYes

Does this project involve consuming, tasting or smelling any product defined as a drug?

Definition of a "drug" includes any substance or mixture of substances for use in:

i) the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease, disorder, abnormal physical state, or its symptoms, in humans or animals;